EFFECTS OF HEAT TREATMENT ON MECHANICAL PROPERTIES AND MICROSTRUCTURE OF A NEW LOW CARBON STEEL ‘FERRIUM C64’

Dvir Fadel ^1,3 Gilad Mordechai Guttmann ² Valodia Ezersky ⁴ Roni Shneck ³ Shmuel Samuha ²

¹Israel Atomic Energy Commission, IAEC, Tel Aviv, Israel
²Department of Materials engineering, NRCN, Beer-Sheva, Israel
³Department of Materials engineering, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
⁴Ilse Katz Institute for Nanoscale Science and Technology, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel

Gear alloys are frequently used in power transmission applications. Their applicability demands high-strength, high hardenability, fatigue strength combined with fair toughness. The new `Ferrium C64` alloy is a potential candidate in that category, following complex heat treatment route, with its` benefits of reducing weight and increase power density. The intrinsic mechanical properties of this alloy are yet to be discovered but it is well known that they are related to the unique microstructure which includes nanoscale M₂C carbides strengthening dispersion within a Ni-Co lath martensitic steel matrix [1-2].

The goal of this research is to correlate microstructure evolution, texture modification and mechanical properties to heat treatment process (austenitization and carburization, gas quenching, sub-zero treatment and tempering). In this presentation we will describe the as-received state. The tensile quasi-static properties were correlated with the microstructure. Due to its` complexity, the microstructure was evaluated through various techniques namely, Analytical Transmission Electron Microscopy (ATEM), alongside crystallography oriented methods of Transmission Electron Back Scatter Diffraction (T-EBSD) and conventional X-Ray Diffraction (XRD).

References

[1] J.A. Wright, J.T. Sebastian, C.P. Kern and R.J. Kooy, "Design, Development and application of new, High- Performance Gear Steel", in Gear Technology, 2010.

[2] C.P. Kern, J.A. Wright, J.T. Sebastian, J.L. Grabowski, D.F. Jordan, T.M. Jones, "Manufacturing and Processing of a New Class of Vacuum- Carburized Gear Steels with Very High Hardenability", American Gear Manufacturers Association, 2011.